Google's Voice Access application offers Android users total hands-free control

Google has launched a new app designed to help people with mobility issues make full use of their smartphones and tablets.

For the moment, only for Android, Voice Access has been in beta for two years, but ongoing development work has finally allowed the application to work fully. Even though it's possible for a long time to vocally control elements of your Android device, the app optimizes this feature.

Indeed, Patrick Clary, Product Manager of Google's central accessibility team, points out that Voice Access offers "more detailed controls than other voice commands you could use on your phone – allowing you to use your voice to click on the buttons and keys. commands in applications, or scroll and navigate through the application screens. "

Using voice alone, Voice Access lets you navigate all your applications, compose and edit text, and of course, talk to Google Assistant.

The tasks are launched via a system that places numbers (see insert) on the screen to allow you to tell the application where you want to start. You can change settings by following instructions such as "Increase Volume", "Enable Bluetooth", and when you have finished, "Disable Device".

You can also interact with the current screen by calling motion commands such as "scroll", "scroll up", and "drag forward".

It's very intuitive. The change can be made simply by telling the application to modify particular words. For example, you can ask the software to "replace" Saturday "with" tomorrow "" after creating a phrase such as "Shall we meet on Saturday?" Likewise, if you want to remove the entire from, for example, the third line, simply say "Delete Third Line."

A complete list of commands can be found by navigating through the Voice Access settings and selecting "Show all commands".

Clary explains that while the app offers a wide range of benefits to people suffering from diseases such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, arthritis and paralysis, Voice Access could also Prove to be useful for those who simply have their hands full, like "people juggling with groceries or in the middle of cooking. "

In the United States alone, more than 50 million people have a reduced form of mobility that could affect manual functions, with data suggesting that Voice Access would be a useful tool for many people with an Android device.

Google's Voice Access app is free and available worldwide. It supports commands in English, with additional language support on the way. You can download it from Google Play here.